A breakthrough in the development of quantum-enhanced optical systems could pave the way for advances in encryption, communication and measurement, scientists say.

In a new paper published in the journal Science Advances, a group of researchers, led by Matteo Clerici at the University of Glasgow’s James Watt School of Engineering and colleagues from the UK, Japan and Germany, demonstrates a new method of generating and detecting quantum-entangled photons at a wavelength of 2.1 micrometers.

Google just presented Meena, an end-to-end, neural conversational model that learns to respond sensibly to a given conversational context. Meena can conduct conversations that are more sensible and specific than existing state-of-the-art chatbots, according to Google’s blog post. Such improvements are reflected through a new human evaluation metric that Google proposes for open domain chatbots, called Sensibleness and Specificity Average (SSA), which captures basic, but important attributes for human conversation.

Verizon Media announced the launch of new augmented reality (AR) experiences in Southeast Asia (SEA) with innovative formats, features, and apps that will give brands the power to engage with consumers in 3D. The launch is part of Verizon’s growing work on tomorrow’s technologies such as 5G and extended reality (XR). The division of Verizon Communications, Inc., houses a trusted media ecosystem of premium brands like Yahoo, TechCrunch and HuffPost to help people stay informed and entertained, communicate and transact, while creating new ways for advertisers and media partners to connect. From XR experiences to advertising and content technology, Verizon Media is an incubator of innovation and is revolutionizing the next generation of content creation in a 5G world.

It should have become clear by now, that AI technology has the potential both to create opportunity and to drive significant disruption, since it is a foundational catalyst for advanced process automation and human augmentation and engagement.

With their smartphone, customers hold a small “supercomputer” in their hands every day, which is why brands and retailers should start to play with the possibilities of the digital commerce environment in traditional brick-and-mortar retail.

The so-called smart mirror technology provides a good example of how the boundaries between online and offline experience start to blur. These interactive mirrors suggest to customers outfit combinations directly in the changing room, among other things, based on the clothes they have taken to try on. These can then be loaded onto the smartphone, for example, using a QR code scan. The items can then be bought either directly in the store or later online. Another good example is the smart shop window, which gives customers an exceptional shopping experience - even outside opening hours.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage around the world, affecting lives and economies everywhere, members of the Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA) have stepped up to help where they can. The trade association for the video industry and ecosystem in Asia Pacific serves to make the video industry stronger and healthier through promoting the common interests of its members. AVIA is the interlocutor for the industry with governments across the region, that leads the fight against video piracy and provides insight into the video industry through reports and conferences aimed to support a vibrant video industry.

According to the recent study from Juniper Research, AI Strategies for Network Operators: Key Use Cases & Monetization Models 2020-2024, total operator spend on AI solutions will exceed $15 billion by 2024, rising from $3 billion in 2020.

The interaction between organizations and consumers is set to become revolutionized with all-new Rich Communications Services (RCS), the latest development in the evolution of mobile messaging.

The next generation of SMS is set to surge in 2020 – with predictions that it will create a market worth more than US $74 billion by next year, according to GSMA.

SQREEM Technologies, an award-winning Singapore-based AI company, and Rakuten Inc., a global leader in internet services that empower individuals, communities, businesses and society, announced the launch of a jointly established company - Rakuten SQREEM, Inc.

Microsoft just announced that over one billion people have chosen Windows 10 across 200 countries resulting in more than one billion active Windows 10 devices. Since its release in 2015, every new build of Windows 10 has seen customer satisfaction improve through fixes, new capabilities and experiences for customers to benefit from a secure, reliable platform.

According to Socialbakers, the unified marketing platform for social media marketers, 2019 was the year TikTok exploded and influencer marketing gained traction, especially with marketers in beauty, fashion and e-commerce.

The digital economy has never been more important than during the COVID-19 pandemic as consumers and businesses across the globe grapple with a digital-only reality. More broadly, as the digital economy continues to evolve, the need to accurately track online prices and actual spending to better understand trends and predict changes across industries and countries becomes even more critical.

Information is – and always has been - the lifeblood of organizations and the foundation for critical decision-making, but it is more important than ever in today’s business environment.

The challenge companies are facing is that information is still commonly stored in various systems including the cloud, making it hard for them to leverage it as a keyway to create more value.

Digitization has been with us for some time and will continue to play an important role in all areas and industries in 2020. And the sooner we look at it neither as a curse nor a blessing, but as a fact, we can work together not only to solve the challenges on a technical level, but also to ensure that we as humans do not lose ourselves too much.